Funny apology

We've been working with Gracyn on manners. Teaching table manners and general polite behaviors can often be slow coming for small children. Gracyn has a habit of being a little too verbal when it comes to announcing what she likes and doesn't like...mainly what she doesn't like. So last night, as I'm on "couch rest", Jack makes dinner. It was a perfectly fine dinner mind you. Gracyn several times makes a "yuk" noise at one of the foods she is displeased with. We reprimand her for this as we are trying to instill a more polite way to turn down a food. We remind her to say, " No thank you or may I be excused from eating this please?" But the "yuks" kept coming. So after several unheeded warnings, she is swiftly sent to her room. After a few minutes, I go to speak with her. I talk to her about how her manners are hurtful to the person who made the food, unlady-like and rude. I remind her of the behaviors we'd prefer to see. She apologizes. I ask her to make Jack an apology note since she was rude about his cooking. She likes the idea and spends some time working on her card. After five or so minutes she returns with a card. I ask to see it first. Upon reading it, I couln't help but to burst into laughter. She laughed too, but wasn't sure why. Here is what her card said:

I i am sre dade for dwen e uke fen.

Translation: I am sorry Daddy for doing a yukky thing. The letters were actually all run togehter but I figured you wouldn't be able to "read" her apology if I didn't separate the words. It was a reminder of how precious little kids are even when they have bad table manners!

Resting and bored

So far this first trimester of pregnancy has been tough! I'm so looking forward to the feel good and blooming days of the second trimester. I have been continuing to have hormone shots weekly for the tear I have. As of last Wednesday the doctor said it hadn't healed. I will need to continue treatments for at least another two weeks. Sigh. I also decided to take more rest for at least a week. That really seemed to make a difference when this happened during my pregnancy with Gracyn. I really haven't slowed down all that much this go around and decided that I would really need to do that. How do you do that with two other kids? Poor Jack has been suffering the brunt of the family load...not to mention continuing to work a full load as well. He's been really great about it though. He's cleaning, washing clothes, cooking meals, watching kids, bathing kids, doing school drop offs and pick ups. I know he's worn out. It is hard for me to just be sitting there without helping at all. That isn't my nature. But, I'm ordered to rest. After all I am growing a person! Last night I felt a little stir crazy. I was so tired of sitting and I was miserably uncomfortable. My body was saying, "get up and move!" It ached from lack of activity. I haven't been able to sit down this much since before Gracyn was born! Motherhood keeps you in constant motion. I didn't realize how hard it would be to just sit for one whole day. I'm supposed to do this for a week??? Well, I guess I should try to see the value in it since when our foursome becomes five....I probably won't be able to sit down again for years to come!

Loy Kratong

On November 5th, Thai people celebrated their annual full moon festival that occurs on the 10th full moon of the year. The festival is called Loy Kratong. Thais generally celebrate by making Kratong and floating (loy) them down bodies of water to ask for forgiveness for the way they have treated nature. It is a way to float away sins and evil influences in their lives and to ask for blessings. A kratong is made out of banana leaves, flowers, has 3 inscence sticks and a candle. Thais light the candle and inscence, say a prayer and float the kratong away. Our neighbors gathered at our neighborhood pond to Loy Kratong and we joined them. We of course, do not particpate as the Thais do, but rather pray to God thanking Him for His creation instead. It is quite a sight to see all the Kratong lit and floating in water. This year there were even some more creative kratong such as crocodiles made out of bread! Here are some pictures of our neighborhood gathering.

Hello Cool Season!

We finally have seen the last of the rains! Wow, it was quite the rainy season this year. Everything stayed a swampy mess for months. We were pretty bored with sloshing through puddles for so long. Typical to the first week of November, the cool season is starting to gently refresh us with her winds and slightly cooler temps. We may get a few days cooler than this, but typically we will still have days above 85 degrees. Chilly eh? Brrr. Yes, the Thais will don jackets and sweaters, but we farang will just feel happy to have a gentle breeze blowing in our faces. Interestingly, it does help those of us who have been here many years feel that Thanksgiving and Christmas are upon us even though we don't have crisp air, colorful leaves, smells of fireplaces and all those other warm fuzzies. We are already looking forward to Thanksgiving around here. I already have visions of turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and green bean casserole dancing around in my head. Yum!